U.S. company Abbott Laboratories on Friday unveiled a portable novel coronavirus test device that it claimed can deliver positive results in as little as five minutes and negative results in 13 minutes. 

The device, which is about the size of a toaster and weighs only 6.6 pounds, can be used in any healthcare setting, including a physician's office or urgent care clinics, the company said. 

Abbott said it had received emergency use authorization (EUA) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for the "fastest available molecular point-of-care test for the detection of novel coronavirus."

The company also said it would ramp up its production to make 50,000 units per day as early as next week, and the tests will be available starting from April 1. 

The test runs on Abbott's ID NOW platform, which is the most common point-of-care test in the U.S. It is also used to test other viruses including Influenza A&B, Strep A and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) testing.  

Experts say it could be a  "game changer"

FDA Commissioner Steve Hahn said he's pleased that Abbott's point-of-care test had been authorized. "This is big news and will help get more of these tests out in the field rapidly. We know how important it is to get point-of-care tests out in the field quickly. These tests that can give results quickly can be a game changer in diagnosing COVID-19," he said. 

His comments is echoed by former FDA commissioner Scott Gottlieb, who called the development a "game changer" on his twitter.  

How it works 

First, a swab from the nose or the throat of a person to be tested should be taken.  

Second, mix the swab with a chemical solution that can break open the virus and release its genetic material.  

Third, insert the mixture into the device, which uses molecular testing technologies to identify a small section of the virus' genome, and then replicate that portion until there's enough for detection.  

Where will it be deployed first? 

The company is working with the Trump administration to first deploy the tests to sites where they are most needed, targeting hospital emergency rooms, urgent-care clinics and doctors' offices. 

However, Abbott noted that the device is not FDA cleared or approved, meaning it can only be used by authorized laboratories and patient care settings. 

The FDA also approved another system from Abbott for coronavirus detection last week – the m2000 RealTime system for centralized lab environments. With the two systems combined, the medical device maker claims it will be able to provide 5 million tests for the novel virus in April. 

Testing remains a crucial step in controlling the COVID-19 pandemic, which has caused more than 670,000 infections and over 30,000 deaths in more than 200 countries and regions worldwide. 

The U.S. government has been criticized for its lagging response to control it, including its low testing capabilities. But the situation is already changing, resulting in a spike of confirmed cases in the country from 32,000 on March 22 to over 100,000 by the end of the week.